1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to load or article carrying apparatuses for use on bicycles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, most bicycle article carriers have followed a standard of a small platform placed horizontally over the rear wheel. This platform, typically no wider than 5-6 inches, is supported by two upright members attaching to or near the rear wheel axle. The front of such a rack is attached to the bicycle frame just below the seat, or may be attached to the seat post itself. U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,639 to Simonett illustrates such a standard rack while describing an additional load-restraining assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,710 to Lee shows a similar platform concept that can be mounted to a variety of tubes on the bicycle frame.
Another type of article carrier is a basket, which is essentially a platform with walls. Handlebar mounted baskets are probably the most common article carrier in the front. Large baskets will sometimes have additional supports extended down to either side of the front axle. Alternately, U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,998 to Belka shows a support frame mounted to the front fork, for carrying loads on either side of the front wheel. Some front racks or baskets may avoid handlebar and fork mounting and attach directly to the bicycle frame. This arrangement avoids the interference of steering as affected by the lo turns.
Baskets and other containers have also been mounted on either side of the rear wheel. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,516,705 to Jackson, and 4,577,786 to Dowrick et al. show fully enclosed containers on both sides of the rear wheel. Note that both of these exhibit similar structural support as the "standard" rear platform rack described above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,132 to Christen illustrates panniers, which are more bag-like and are hung on a support structure. Panniers are probably the closest prior art to the invention based on the fact that they are suspended. However, the load contained within a pannier presents an imbalance as it is placed on the side of the wheel. While the load may be balanced by splitting it evenly between left and right panniers, it is not always feasible nor convenient to do so.
Some inventors have attempted to enhance convenience by creating combination units. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,786,972 to Alley and 4,433,802 to Woolf show easily detachable containers that can take on the form of a backpack when not mounted to the bicycle. While these inventions attempt to allow a smoother transition from cycling to walking with a given load, the ergonomics of the resultant `backpack` leave much to be desired.
Other rear-mounted article carriers noted are small bags or containers attached solely to the seat or seat-post (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,303 to Downs). These units are simply hung, or are cantilevered via some internal rigid structure. Such seat/seat-post units are inherently limited in their size and load-carrying capacity.